The Nats season is over in the "compete for anything worthwhile" but it's far from over in the "kids development sense" we know about the kids that are here and doing well. What's coming down the pike?
More time for kids here
Brady House - looks like a talented kid up for the first time. Strong swing, solid form but he's getting fooled a lot. Works out to about an average bat in his limited time. A little iffy in the field so far. If he can just slightly improve across the board that's a win because he's right now he's probably a just good enough player (think Luis Garcia) and you gotta figure they'll be a chance for a real step up in 2026.
Dylan Crews - is still out though before the ASB, and after he had worked himself back to "when is he going to be playing games" figure sometime in the next week. That could be today, maybe this weekend. No rush. Fairly similar to House but his form at the plate isn't good which negates a lot of the strength in it. Chases a bit less though and is starting to warm up in the field. The goal for the next couple months? Get the ball into the air more.
Daylen Lile - can really ID and square up on pitches but slow bat speed and that has been the death of Ruiz. Now Lile isn't Ruiz because he is fast. There's a chance he could be Steven Kwan. There's a better chance he could be one of the dozens of guys who don't last though. Kwan is a unicorn.
Andry Lara - The Nats pitching staff has a lot of "kids" A lot of guys like Cole Henry (26 on the ASG), Jose Ferrer (25), and Mitchell Parker (26 in September) who should be rounding into final form now (see : Gore, Mackenzie 26). Unfortunately for these guys and Lord (25), Rutledge (26), Brzykcy (25) instead they are still getting used to the majors and likely I'd say 5 out of 6 won't be any good. OK that was depressing but you know who IS a kid? Andry Lara. And he's looked good as a reliever in VERY VERY limited play. He gets hit but he induces grounders. Over time as a starter that's been iffy, you lose control you leave balls up... but for an inning as a reliever? So far, so good
Kids coming / coming back -
Cade Cavalli - Has he looked good in AAA in 2025? Uh.... no. He's wild and not missing bats and well that's not a good combo. But he's going to get into the majors because at 27 in about a month it's time for him to produce or get out of the way. The Nats liked him before so they'll throw him into the fire.
Robert Hassell - Does he seem like a AAA player? Yeah. But squint and you see a guy who struggles at a level, then gets better. He was pretty awful in the majors with nothing to excite you but his other skills are good so if he can be ok maybe there's a 4th or 5th OF here? His only issue is the OF is crowded. Harder to get a chance when Wood is needing reps to keep improving his D, and Crews needs to get back into it. (which is kind of why they gotta let Call go)
Marquis Grissom Jr. - an intriguing relief arm that shouldn't be great (he doesn't blow anyone out at all) but is hard for batters to get a read on so they don't usually hit him very hard. Unfortunately Marquis doesn't have a great read on himself. When he controls his wildness has enough to hold down a major league role. We'll probably get a chance to see if he can do that in the fall
Yohandy Morales? - Probably not as a DH/1B he's sort of squeezed currently in the majors, esp with all the OF needing to have a look. But he's in AAA and was beginning to heat up. If Bell goes then there's a spot open and he'll have his first swings in the majors.
Various other not kids who might get cycled in based on timing. For starters - Seth Shuman, Chase Solesky, and Andrew Alvarez stink but are there in AAA. They probably get passed by Kyle Luckham though if he doesn't stink. Holden Powell is the closest to a kid in the pen. Konnor Pilkington is an interesting older lefty. Seems like a dozen could be late 20s guys. Batting there's a lot of chaff. Jackson Cluff maybe? Get the 28yo a couple major league at bats before sending him on his way?
12 comments:
Man, this is depressing. I'd rather hang on to Call because he's a pretty good ballplayer, even if this is his peak. I mean, "he's good - get him out of here!" is a crappy way to run a baseball team.
Bell - he's hitting hard. Flip him before Josh Bell comes back.
Yoyo - someone's gotta play 1b/dh. He's tearing up AAA. What's the problem here?
I'm with you, however, on cycling as many marginal guys through the roster the next 2.5 months as possible. I'm tired of seeing some of these names at the bottom of the prospect lists, and I'd like to get some of these guys a look and then let them go to Japan and get it over with.
I mean if you want to keep Call to not play because you need to play the kids... ok? Look if you can't get anything back you remotely like (def possible for a 30yo with limited track record) then keep him.
As per usual, this is the kind of "glass half empty" take that we know and love from Harper. House has impressed me both at the plate and in the field. By Statcast, OAA, FRV, and my Mark I eyeball he's a positive fielder (DRS is the lone dissenter, at -1). He's got good hands, decent range, and a gun for an arm. He gets the barrel to the ball and his EV is already better than average. Will he adjust to the league or will the league adjust to him? Good question, which is why I'm basically in the same "let's find out" place where Harper is.
Yeah I was pretty low on House before his callup, so I've been pleasantly surprised by what I've seen so far. I expected AAAA bench guy, but he may actually be a starter. Now "a starter" isn't necessarily sufficient for a team hoping to compete next year, so we gotta see how things progress.
As for the other kids? I'm not really that concerned right now, frankly. The team is already so young, I just want a few guys to progress and stick as average to slightly above average players, complemented by stars in Abrams/Wood/Gore/hopefully Crews, and then go out and sign some FAs. That right there is a recipe for a competitive lineup. Then you trade the fringe guys for lotto tickets and spend your money on overhauling the player development department (again)
I've been impressed with House in the field (albeit in limited "innings watched"). I'm writing more to point out that any defensive stats over less than a month's worse of play are likely worse than useless. We need a very big sample to draw conclusions about a player's defensive ability using stats (I would be very hesitant to rely on defensive stats even for someone like Wood, who has more than a year's worth of them).
More time for the kids...please and thank you!
I was drinking milk the other day when I saw the visage of Josiah Gray on the carton
Assuming the plan is to spend money this winter (and I know many of you doubt that), then "play the kids" is the essential business of the next 2+ months. If House is good enough (with potential to be better with more reps and better coaching), then you can cross 3rd base off the list of needs and etc. Maybe we have enough failed starters to flesh out a decent bullpen? Maybe Morales and a crowded outfield is the answer to 1B/DH. The only certain need IMO is more starting pitchers and resolving the catching. The "why" on catching is obvious....on pitching the why is that the Dodgers keep proving you can never have enough capable starters.
I definitely agree with "trade Call" simply because the Nats have too many other players that they need to find out if they're good and not enough spots to play them in. Crews needs as many plate appearances as he can get before the end of the year--they *need* to know if he's going to be someone they can count on going forward as it completely redefines what we need. Lile and Hassell and Jared Young as well.
And...baseball media has basically been ignoring Call, but I have to think that actual teams with actual staffs haven't. Yes, at 30 he's presumably going to his his down slope, but he's good now and he's controllable for four years for dirt cheap. He beats up lefties and is average against righties so it's not going to kill you to let him play them. He'd fit perfectly on Seattle, for example: a platoon partner for Canzone, plus he could take over full-time if Canzone reverts to being the AAAA guy he's always been, and could be OF4 in future seasons when Robles comes back, and he doesn't add much payroll so wouldn't hurt their chances of getting a 3B. He'd immediately be the best outfielder on the Royals if they traded for him, and likewise could take over RF for the Guardians. In the NL East, the Phillies could use him. If the Nats were in playoff contention, I'd say to play him and let Crews and Young fight over CF, but they aren't, and he's not good enough where you say "Plan A in RF for the next 3 years is Call; trade the kids."
House at 3B. Morales or Chapparo at DH. Maybe one at 1B, too. if you also trade Lowe, though it's probably better to keep Lowe, hope he returns to normal form, and move him in the offseason. Cavalli should be in the rotation *now* instead of Lord unless management seriously believes Lord will be a starter going forward. And if they do, then both should be there after Soroka gets traded.
Next year is too soon, think 2045
Another one bites the dust: Sykora needs TJ. Man… this franchise just can’t shake this rain cloud of bad news.
Tbh, I’m lost on where this team seems to be going and it’s “plans” for contention aside from stockpiling prospects and unproven MLB talent.
Related/ironic: MLB posts an article on Sykora, Crews, and Wood. So basically: won’t be playing for year+, hasn’t played in a long time, and in a slump. Could easily be talking about the franchise as a whole and I wouldn’t know the difference.
Looks like Mikey D learned to trade from rizzo. The fact we turned hardly anything (2 medicine relievers that couldn’t stick with other teams to start the year and a pitcher with an era almost 5) into a few solid prospects and org depth is pretty solid.
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